Haveri (Karnataka):Indian Embassy Joint Director Nimesh Bhanot has assured the family of Naveen Shekharappa Gyanagoudar, the Indian student killed in a Russian strike on Tuesday, that he would do his best to bring Naveen's mortal remains to India.
Bhanot, while speaking to Naveen's brother Harsh, said the delay in bringing the mortal remains to India was due to escalating situation in Ukraine. "Naveen's mortal remains have been kept in a local hospital in Kharkiv," he told the family. Naveen, a resident of Karnataka's Haveri, and a fourth-year MBBS student at the Kharkiv National Medical University was killed in Russian shelling when he was standing in a queue outside a grocery shop on the morning of March 1. The incident marked India’s first casualty in the war in Ukraine triggered by Russia’s invasion.
Uncertainty over bringing back Naveen's mortal remains Geneva Convention
Many provisions have been made in international humanitarian law regarding people, who died during international military conflicts. Some rules have been made in the third paragraph of Article 17, 1949 of the Geneva convention. During armed conflicts, an official grave registration service would be established. Also, the mortal remains of the deceased will be transported to his home country through possible transportation. These provisions will also apply to the ashes of the mortal remains.
Article 120 of the Geneva Convention III of 1949 deals with the possibility of the return of the mortal remains to the home country. According to it, after any conflict, it is the responsibility of the power controlling the area that the mortal remains shall be kept until proper disposal by the grave registration service as desired by the household. This rule also applies to ashes.
The second paragraph of Article 130 of the Geneva Convention IV provides that the ashes or mortal remains shall be preserved by the detaining authorities and shall be transferred to the next of kin at their request as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, family members of the deceased Naveen have started preparing for his final rites as they are looking forward to receiving the body, as assured by the Indian Embassy. The final rites will be performed as per Veerashaiva (Lingayat) tradition at Naveen's home in Chalageri village of Ranebennuru taluk in Haveri district. Naveen's uncle, Ujjana Gowda Gyanagoudara said, "All ready three days have passed, yet there has been no clear information about when the body will arrive. But we are expecting to get information today(on Thursday) from the Indian Embassy and the Government of India about the arrival of the dead body. We will take suggestions from Swamiji and based on it we would make preparations for three-day final rites as per Veerashaiva tradition."
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